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Hyundai Kona NStage 1 to Stage 4 tuning guide

The Kona N is the crossover with the Elantra N's larger-turbo 2.0 and the 8-speed wet DCT only, sold in Europe and North America from 2021 to 2023. European cars have a petrol particulate filter, which rules out most "delete" parts for road use. The limits are the DCT's clutch packs, heat, oil temperature and the high-pressure fuel pump.

Years: 2021–2023
Engine: 2.0 T-GDi turbo four
Gearbox: 8-speed wet DCT only
Stock power: 280 PS / 392 Nm (EU), 276 hp (US)

Power by stage

Stock is Hyundai's engine figure (280 PS in Europe, 276 hp in the US). Stage 1 to 4 are the North American tuners' own figures at the wheels (whp); they measure a stock car at about 250–280 whp. UK and European tuners quote engine power instead, shown in the tables. The top of Stage 2 to 4 needs methanol or ethanol.

Stock276–280 hp

Stage 1295–330 whp Stage 2305–360 whp Stage 3400–450 whp Stage 4450+ whp

Names with an arrow go straight to that part's product page for this car. Names in a dashed outline are other brands that make the part; exact links for them are being added.

1

Software, with colder plugs

295–330 whp

A flash tune takes the Kona N to about 295–330 whp in North America. UK tuners quote engine power on 99 RON: Courtenay Sport claims 340–350 bhp from its rolling-road Stage 1, and BR-Performance in Belgium 305 hp. Plug-in modules and the JB4 add less and change nothing permanently.

Typical cost: calibration CAD 799.99 (N75) or $1,250 on sale (LAP3, list $1,500); Courtenay Sport remap £595; JB4 $599–$799; plug-in modules €549–€689 (RaceChip, DTE).List prices, Sept 2026, before shipping, import tax and fitting.

Stage 1 tunes compared

Tune	Fuel	Claimed power	Claimed torque	Notes
LAP3 Stage 1 / 1.5	91 / 93 US	300–320 / 320–330 whp	—	17–21 psi; HKS M45XL plugs
N75 Stage 1	premium	295 whp	310 lb-ft (wheel)	Fuel pump upgrade recommended
Courtenay Sport Stage 1	99 RON (97 possible)	340–350 bhp	—	Engine figure on its rolling road
BR-Performance Stage 1	not E85	305 hp	450 Nm	European car
Burger JB4	91 / 93 US, E85 maps	up to +80 whp	up to +80 wtq	Piggyback; one claim for all of Kia and Hyundai's 2.0 turbos
DTE PowerControl X	—	+56 PS	+46 Nm	Plug-in module
RaceChip GTS 5 Black	—	+50 PS	+60 Nm	Plug-in module

Recommended with Stage 1

Colder spark plugs required HKS M45XLNGK (heat range 9)
LAP3 requires HKS M45XL plugs and N75 specifies heat range 9.
High-pressure fuel pump recommended LF 2.0T pump (genuine Mobis, via LAP3)
N75 recommends upgrading the pump with its tunes.

Before you buyAsk whether the fuel-pump recall work is done: when Hyundai issued recall 262, it said the Kona N's remedy was still being developed (the recall notice). UK figures are on 99 RON; Israel sells 98 at most, so expect slightly less. US 91 octane is about 95 RON and 93 about 98.

2

Intake, cooling and exhaust

305–360 whp

Stage 2 adds an intake, a bigger intercooler and exhaust work with a Stage 2 file. LAP3 claims 330–340 whp and 340–360 whp with methanol; N75 claims 305–315 whp. In Europe, BR-Performance claims 315 hp and 470 Nm, but its Stage 2 needs a particulate-filter delete.

Typical cost: intake $430.50 (aFe) or £350 (K-Tec); intercooler $1,064.18 (Forge); Remus EC-approved exhaust €2,033 before VAT; Scorpion GPF-back £918.31–£1,186.06.List prices, Sept 2026, before shipping, import tax and fitting.

Stage 2 packages compared

Package	Fuel	Claimed power	Claimed torque	Required hardware
LAP3 Stage 2 / 2.5	95+ US / with meth	330–340 / 340–360 whp	—	Bolt-ons; methanol for 2.5
N75 Stage 2 / 3	premium	305 / 315 whp	330 / 350 lb-ft (wheel)	Intake; then intercooler and downpipe
BR-Performance Stage 2	not E85	315 hp	470 Nm	Sport-cat downpipe, filter delete, BMC filter

Parts list

Intake and turbo inlet required aFe Takeda intake K-Tec induction kit Forge turbo inlet
aFe claims +14 hp and +21 lb-ft; Forge +10 bhp with its inlet.
Intercooler recommended Forge intercooler Forge boost pipe aFe charge pipes
Forge measured +21 bhp and 27°C air into the engine against 48°C stock, on a Courtenay Stage 1 car.
Exhaust optional Remus EC-approved sport exhaust Scorpion GPF-back Milltek cat-back (non-GPF US cars)aFe mid-pipe
Remus's system is EC approved and keeps the filter, which matters for inspection.
Downpipe tracks and non-GPF cars N75 catless downpipe Scorpion de-cat section Scorpion GPF delete
Scorpion sells its de-cat and filter delete for motorsport use only.
Oil cooler hard use Forge oil cooler
Forge says a tuned Kona N's oil can reach "dangerous levels".

Before you buyOn European cars the particulate filter must stay for road use and inspection; filter deletes and catless downpipes are motorsport parts. Methanol and ethanol aren't sold at Israeli filling stations.

3

Hybrid turbo and DCT clutches

400–450 whp

Stage 3 is a hybrid turbo in the stock housing. Turbo Parts Canada rates its hybrid "for 400+whp", and N75's HT450 claims 450 whp at 28 psi. N75 warns that the DCT "cannot handle hybrid power levels", so on a Kona N, which is DCT-only, the clutch packs come with the turbo.

Typical cost: hybrid turbo $1,975 (Turbo Parts Canada), $1,595 plus core (LAP3 Pure550N) or CAD 4,099.99 (N75 HT450); DCT clutch kit £1,575 (Dodson, via K-Tec) or $1,599 (SSP).List prices, Sept 2026, before shipping, import tax and fitting.

Parts list

Hybrid turbo required Turbo Parts Canada hybrid N75 HT450 LAP3 Pure550N
LAP3 lists the Pure550N for 2022-on Kona Ns; every maker needs a custom tune.
DCT clutch kit required Dodson Superstock-6 clutch kit (K-Tec)SSP 8-speed DCT clutch kit
Dodson adds a friction plate per clutch; SSP rates its kits at 500, 600 or 700 lb-ft.
Fuel required LF 2.0T fuel pump
More fuel for the bigger turbo.

Before you buyHyundai says the DCT's gearbox software has to match its hardware revision (the bulletin), and N75 reports a customer's turbo inlet collapsing at 27 psi. Budget for the gearbox, cooling and a custom tune, not just the turbo.

4

Built engine

450+ whp

We found no big-turbo manifold kit made for the Kona N, so Stage 4 here means strengthening the engine to run a hybrid turbo harder. KDM Tuners sells a forged engine kit it says will "support up to 700+ hp"; that is a hardware rating, not a Kona N figure.

Parts list

Forged internals required KDM Tuners 2.0T engine build kit
Forged pistons, H-beam rods, bearings and studs; KDM says a sleeved block and fuel work are needed above 600 hp.
Head studs and gasket required ARP CA625+ head studs Cometic MLX head gasket
Clamping the head at high boost.

Before you buyStage 4 is an engine build, not a bolt-on. Choose one shop to build, tune and stand behind the engine and gearbox together.

Watch: real builds

From tuners', shops' and motoring journalists' own YouTube channels. Nothing loads from YouTube until you press play.

Stage 1RaceChip puts its module on a Kona N and tests it on the dynoRaceChip on YouTube

Stage 2ACI Dynamix builds a full Stage 2 Kona N with over 400 hpACI Dynamix on YouTube

BuildCourtenay Sport's 370 bhp, 505 Nm Kona N on the rolling roadCourtenaySportLtd on YouTube

All build videos, by car

Questions to ask the shop

Is your file written for the Kona N's own turbo, the same as the Elantra N's, and not the smaller i30 N or Veloster N unit?
Does it keep the particulate filter and pass inspection? Which of your parts are motorsport only?
What torque will you run on the DCT, and will you check its software matches the hardware revision?
Has the fuel-pump recall been done, and do you want an upgraded pump first?
What does it make on 98 RON, given that UK figures are on 99?
Do you log intake-air and oil temperature, and when do you insist on the intercooler and oil cooler?

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